The rise of the computer age has resulted in increased commercial opportunities for people all over the world. One such improvement is the development of commerce systems and platforms designed to allow users to buy and sell products and services over the Internet. In this way, much of the cost associated with selling goods and services is removed and more people are able to participate meaningfully in the marketplace as both buyers and sellers.
In order to facilitate a well-functioning marketplace, online commerce systems often allow users to send messages and communicate back and forth. This allows buyers and sellers to ask questions and iron out details prior to the conclusion of a commercial interaction. However, many communication methods currently implemented in online commerce systems, such as e-mails or messages internal to the commerce system, are either not very convenient for users who do not want to spend all day monitoring messages at a computer or provide insufficient privacy protections for both buyers and sellers.
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